Paris, France, October 2026: H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, Supreme President of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, and Professor Chun Chen, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, honoured the laureates of the ninth edition of the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development during a ceremony held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris as part of the World Teachers’ Day celebrations.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, representatives of Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, and representatives of participating organisations and projects.
Ahead of the ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum met with Professor Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, to discuss ways to further strengthen the longstanding relationship between Hamdan Foundation and UNESCO. The meeting focused on initiatives and programmes aimed at supporting teachers, advancing education, improving teaching practices, and promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise in support of sustainable educational development.
Professor Dr. Khaled El-Enany opened the World Teachers’ Day 2026 programme at UNESCO Headquarters in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum. In his remarks, Professor Dr. El-Enany highlighted Hamdan Foundation’s sustained contribution to supporting education and strengthening the teaching profession globally through the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development. He also congratulated the 10 finalists of the ninth edition, including the three laureates.
The ninth edition recorded the highest level of participation since the Prize was established, attracting 169 applications from 64 countries, of which 129 met the eligibility requirements, while 15 countries participated for the first time. Following the international evaluation and jury process, 10 projects were selected for the final stage, comprising three laureates and seven other finalists.
In his address, H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum expressed his appreciation to the guests and participants gathered to celebrate teachers worldwide. He reaffirmed the Foundation’s pride in its distinguished partnership with UNESCO, which spans nearly two decades and reflects a shared commitment to translating vision into meaningful impact.
Sheikh Rashid said the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development has continued to advance the objectives for which it was established, including supporting teachers, recognising their contributions, highlighting their achievements and promoting successful educational practices that enhance teacher performance and improve education quality.
Sheikh Rashid noted that the 169 applications received from 64 countries demonstrate that excellence in education is a universal aspiration and that teachers, regardless of their countries or contexts, are united by a common mission to empower people through knowledge and help build a brighter future for humanity.
Sheikh Rashid also reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to the vision established by the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, founder of the initiative, and to continuing its partnership with UNESCO and supporting programmes and initiatives aimed at advancing education.
Congratulating the laureates, Sheikh Rashid said their recognition honours not only their achievements and contributions, but also every teacher who chooses to make a difference, every educational practice that places learners at the centre of the learning process, and every creative idea capable of inspiring teachers elsewhere in the world.
On the sidelines of the award ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum witnessed the signing of an agreement between Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences and UNESCO for a joint research project titled “Innovations in Teacher Professional Development: Lessons Learned from UNESCO–Hamdan Prize Laureates.”
The agreement was signed by His Excellency Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, and Professor Chun Chen, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum.
The research project will draw on the experiences and practices of winning projects from previous editions of the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize to examine innovative and effective approaches to teacher professional development, including programme implementation, sustainability and scalability. The findings will help inform future initiatives and policies aimed at strengthening teachers’ capacities.
His Excellency Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami said the agreement extends the strategic partnership between Hamdan Foundation and UNESCO and reflects both organisations’ commitment to maximising the impact of the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize by drawing on the accumulated experience of its winning projects. His Excellency noted that the initiative goes beyond recognising outstanding practices by studying and analysing them and transferring the resulting knowledge to educational institutions, policymakers and organisations involved in teacher development worldwide.
His Excellency added that the research project represents an important step towards translating the successful experiences of Prize laureates into applicable knowledge that can support more effective and sustainable teacher professional development programmes. His Excellency reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment to the legacy of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum through continued investment in education, support for teachers and international partnerships that contribute to improving education quality globally.
As part of the ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum and Professor Chun Chen honoured three winning projects from Türkiye, Ethiopia and Indonesia for their innovative practices and contributions to teacher development and education quality.
From Türkiye, Öğretmen Akademisi Vakfı – Teachers’ Academy Foundation (ÖRAV) received the Prize for “ÖRAV Education Festival – Teacher-Led Professional Learning Ecosystem.” Launched in 2015, the initiative is a nationwide celebration of the teaching profession, organised by and for teachers, and promotes teacher-led professional learning and the exchange of knowledge and experience.
From Ethiopia, Gondar College of Teachers’ Education was recognised for “Maker-Teachers.” Launched in 2022, the project aims to improve early childhood education through low-cost, culturally appropriate, play-based teaching and learning materials for indoor and outdoor activities.
From Indonesia, the Guru Belajar Foundation received the Prize for its “Collective Teacher Leadership Development Programme.” Launched in 2021, the scalable, community-led model aims to strengthen teaching effectiveness through collective leadership, reflective practice and cross-sector collaboration.
The UNESCO–Hamdan Prize carries a total value of US$300,000, divided equally among the three laureates, with each receiving US$100,000. Established in 2008, the Prize recognises outstanding practices that strengthen teacher performance and contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning worldwide. It is awarded every two years.
The ceremony also featured presentations of the teacher development programmes represented by the 10 finalists, recognition of members of the international jury, a special video highlighting the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize, and panel discussions with representatives of the finalist projects.
An exhibition showcasing the 10 finalist projects was also held as part of the event. H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum toured the exhibition and learned more about the participating initiatives and their work in teacher development.
The award ceremony formed part of World Teachers’ Day 2026, held under the theme “Standing with teachers: 60 years of protecting the profession, advancing its status and shaping our futures.” The occasion marked the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, highlighting the importance of protecting the teaching profession, strengthening teachers’ status and recognising their role in shaping the future of societies.
Since its establishment, the UNESCO–Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development has continued to highlight outstanding educational initiatives worldwide and support projects capable of creating sustainable impact in teacher development and education quality, within the framework of the longstanding partnership between Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences and UNESCO.
